A comprehensive study of railroad and street crossings in Durham City and County was prepared by Kimley Horn for NCDOT, the City of Durham, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and Triangle Transit. In drafts of the report released prior to its completion, DAD became aware of the scale of disruption that proposed grade separations in downtown Durham would create. DAD lobbied the City Council not to endorse the plan; the Council ultimately voted just to accept the plan. At the same time, DAD also became aware the Triangle Transit’s Environmental Impact Study for the proposed light rail system incorporated the grade separations that were presented in the Transit Separation Study since the adopted Metropolitan Transportation Plan called for grade separation in the downtown. DAD was enlisted by Durham’s Mayor, local property owners, and Triangle Transit to conduct a design workshop to look at alternatives. That workshop took place in the Fall of 2014. The results were presented to the City Council, the County Commissioners, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization. At the moment, various developments have caused Triangle Transit to abandon the grade separation design.

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